The patient is placed supine with the left arm abducted, as required by the anesthetist, and the right arm adducted to leave sufficient room for the surgeon and the assistant standing on the surgeon’s left. A heating mat is placed between the patient and the surgical table.

A vesical catheter and a nasogastric tube are applied after induction of anesthesia.

Before taking the patient to the operating theater, body hair is removed with electric clippers from the intermammary line to the pubis vertically and between the midaxillary lines laterally